The latest estimate of civilian deaths was issued by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine on Tuesday.
"At least 10,000 civilians, including more than 560 children, have been killed and over 18,500 have been injured since Russia launched its a full-scale armed attack against Ukraine on 24 February 2022," the task force said.
The UN mission added that the figure of 10,000 represented civilian deaths "verified according to its methodology," cautioning that "the actual figure may be significantly higher given the challenges and time required for verification."
Danielle Bell, who heads the UN task force, told reporters: “The Russian Federation's war against Ukraine, now entering into its 21st month, risks evolving into a protracted conflict, with the severe human cost being painful to fathom."
She noted that “nearly half of civilian casualties in the last three months have occurred far away from the frontlines," from Russia's long-range missiles and loitering munitions.
"No place in Ukraine is completely safe,” the UN official warned.
Ukraine continues counteroffensive against Russia in east and south: officials
Ukrainian and Russian forces "continue to conduct offensive operations in eastern and southern Ukraine despite rainy and snowy weather conditions," the Institute for the Study of War reported on Tuesday night.
Meanwhile, there has been a significant decrease in the Russian shelling of the right (west) bank of the Dnipro River in the southern Kherson region, the RBC-Ukraine news agency reported.
Winter weather "will likely prompt the resumption of more active combat operations," the ISW, a US think tank, said.
Ukraine is continuing its push through the Zaporizhzhia region in the southeast, in a bid to reach the port of Melitopol on the Sea of Azov, the General Staff in Kyiv said on Wednesday morning.
Ukraine is also keeping up a counteroffensive towards the Russian-held city of Bakhmut in the east, military officials added.
Overall, Ukrainian and Russian forces on Tuesday fought in 48 combat clashes, with Ukraine inflicting losses in "manpower and equipment" on the Russian army, the General Staff in Kyiv reported.
Wednesday is day 637 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.
(pm/gs)
Source: UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, ISW, RBC-Ukraine, The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
